Page:Journal of the Right Hon. Sir Joseph Banks.djvu/425

Rh might live wherever we pleased. After having asked leave of the Council, which was never refused, we might therefore, if we chose it, take a house in any part of the town, and bringing our own servants ashore, might keep it, which would be much cheaper than living at the hotel, provided we had anybody on whom we could depend to buy our provisions. As this was not the case, having none with us who understood the Malay language, we concluded that the hotel would be the best for us, certainly the least troublesome, and maybe not much the most expensive; accordingly, we went there, bespoke beds, and slept there at night.

The next day we agreed with the keeper of the house, whose name was Van Heys, as to the rates we should pay for living, as follows (for this he agreed, as we were five of us, who would probably have many visitors from the ship, to keep us a separate table). For ourselves we were to pay two rix-dollars a day each; and for each stranger we were to pay one rix-dollar (4s.) for dinner, and another for supper and bed if he stayed ashore. We were to have also for ourselves and friends, tea, coffee, punch, pipes and tobacco, as much as we could consume; in short, everything the house afforded, except wine and beer, which we were to pay for at the following rates:—

Besides this we were to pay for our servants ½ a rupee (1s. 3d.) a day each.

For these rates, which we soon found to be more than double the common charges of boarding and lodging in the town, we were furnished with a table which under the appearance of magnificence was wretchedly covered; indeed,